Ultrasound Guided TAP Block Versus Caudal Block in Pediatrics

The use of pediatric regional anesthesia has increased because of its effective pain control, improved safety profile of local anesthetic agents, in addition to the introduction of ultra-sound. At present, caudal block is one of the most common regional anesthetic techniques employed in pediatric surgery. In addition to providing postoperative analgesia, caudal block significantly reduces intraoperative analgesic requirements and upper airway complications. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block involves infiltration of local anesthetics to the plane between the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles. Indeed, TAP block offers a hemodynamic stability, appropriate intra-operative analgesia and post surgical analgesia of the abdominal wall.